ANSA news

FYROM: Hahn, reforms have to go through civil consultation

Tue, 18/07/2017 - 16:30

(ANSA) - BRUSSELS - The former Republic Yugoslav of Macedonia
has to implement the Przino agreement and the Urgent Reform
Priorities, but this "doesn't mean it has to rush legislation
purposes through the Parliament but through civil consultation",
EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn told reporters after the EU-FYROM
Stabilisation and Association Council.
"We welcome the intention to work with all the stakeholders, but
the country needs a constructive opposition to advance in the EU
reform agenda", he added.
The Skopje's government has shown a "strong engagement", also on
the Transport Community Treaty, signed at the Western Balkans
summit in Trieste on 12th July. This engagement "has been
awarded by EU financing of the railway project Corridor 8", Hahn
explained. The Corridor will run from Hamburg to Bulgaria, and
it includes an 89 km-long rail section between the city of
Kumanovo, in the FYROM, and the border with Bulgaria. The EU
will contribute with 70 million euros grants for works and
technical assistance.
FYROM "is trying to reach out his neighbours to overcome
difficulties of the past. I'm confident that the next successful
step will be very soon", he added. (ANSA).

In brief

Founded in 1989, the CEI is a regional intergovernmental forum committed to supporting European integration through cooperation among its Member States.
It combines multilateral diplomacy and project management, both as donor and recipient, while bridging European macro-regions.